Amateur radio operators

[Chief_Rick]

I am looking for a mobile radio to set up as a base station.

Primarily looking at 2-meter, I don't know if 70-cm is something that would get a lot of, if any, use in my area.

Analog vs digital?

Anything else I should or shouldn't be looking at, feature-wise?

Ease of programming would definitely be a plus.

The radios seem to run from about $150 to almost $1000.

 

[W54/XM-388]

Assuming of course you have your license, are you doing this in a house or for a vehicle or going to carry it in a backpack?

 

[Missalot]

I would go with a 2m/440 rig that can crossband repeat which can basically turn your base station into a repeater. The reason is that when you add a dual band handitalkie to your collection, you don't have to man your base station to have 2 way communications. If your base station is up and in crossband, you can be in another room, out in the yard, or anywhere in range of your antenna system to communicate via handitalkie. Back before reliable cell service, we had a group that used this system to communicate over several miles on land and well offshore (I live in a coastal area). It wasn't near as effective as a real repeater system, but it got the job done and provided us with a mostly private net. I'd go with one of the big 3 names. Those that crossband will be at the upper price range. They all make nice rigs, just pick the one that talks to you (pun intended).

 

[Ravenworks]

I've been discussing this radio with a few members here and it checks a lot of boxes and leaves room for growth.

Yaesu VX-6R 5W Multi-Band FM Handheld Transceiver

2M/70CM 5W 220 1.5W DUAL BAND HT

www.gigaparts.com

Welcome to Yaesu.com

 

[aslrookie]

FTM-400

 

[Chief_Rick]

Assuming of course you have your license, are you doing this in a house or for a vehicle or going to carry it in a backpack?

KI5RGH

I want to set up a base station in the house. My nearest repeater is a little over 12 miles away and is a Yaesu repeater. I've been told that it is connected to the internet (C4FM) and that if I want to utilize this technology I have to get a Yaesu TX.

I was gifted a Baofeng UV-5R but can't reach the repeater from my residence.

 

[Chief_Rick]

I've been discussing this radio with a few members here and it checks a lot of boxes and leaves room for growth.

Yaesu VX-6R 5W Multi-Band FM Handheld Transceiver

2M/70CM 5W 220 1.5W DUAL BAND HT

www.gigaparts.com

Welcome to Yaesu.com

I can't reach my nearest repeater with a Baofeng UV-5R that I was gifted.

I realize that an antenna makes a big difference but I would like more power as well.

 

[Chief_Rick]

FTM-400

I have been looking at that as well as the FTM-300 for digital/analog radios.

That said, I've also been looking at the FT-2980R and FTM-3100R for analog radios.

The two biggest downsides to the FT-2980R and FTM-3100R radios, as I can tell are:
1 - they are not C4FM
2 - they are only 2-meter and not dual band

The questions I keep asking myself:
1 - Do I really need digital/C4FM?
2 - Do I need 70-cm?

 

[aslrookie]

I have been looking at that as well as the FTM-300 for digital/analog radios.

That said, I've also been looking at the FT-2980R and FTM-3100R for analog radios.

The two biggest downsides to the FT-2980R and FTM-3100R radios, as I can tell are:
1 - they are not C4FM
2 - they are only 2-meter and not dual band

The questions I keep asking myself:
1 - Do I really need digital/C4FM?
2 - Do I need 70-cm?

Digital can do things analog cannot. For example, I could setup a PI star and use my handheld to transmit to the PI star which is basically a WiFi repeater to people all around the country.

The days of needing a 100’ tall antenna to communicate past your city are gone for the most part. Now, if you need comms when internet is down, understand most people don’t have antennas and HAM radios, so your comms range is pretty short anyway.

I’ve played with ideas on how to communicate with resources under extreme circumstances, but it generally involves all parties to have equivalent equipment and experience to make that work. 70cm is good to have since most people carry little FRS walkie talkies. I’m not encouraging transmitting on FRS/GMRS with a HAM radio, but if there’s an emergency, the FCC can suck it lol

 

[W54/XM-388]

Digital can do things analog cannot. For example, I could setup a PI star and use my handheld to transmit to the PI star which is basically a WiFi repeater to people all around the country.

The days of needing a 100’ tall antenna to communicate past your city are gone for the most part. Now, if you need comms when internet is down, understand most people don’t have antennas and HAM radios, so your comms range is pretty short anyway.

Here is the problem with your statement.
You are essentially using the internet to communicate. Just adding a radio link to be cool.

If that's the case, you are no more independent than just using a cell phone or WiFi / internet connection for the most part. You are totally reliant on somebody else having up and running infrastructure to communicate.

If you know what you are doing, when and how, you can communicate all across the country, with other like minded folks, from something you can carry in a backpack and not need anyone else.

Antennas and ground are where most folks come up short.
You don't need a really huge fancy antenna, just a simple one but built / tuned properly so you are not wasting energy.

 

[aslrookie]

Here is the problem with your statement.
You are essentially using the internet to communicate. Just adding a radio link to be cool.

If that's the case, you are no more independent than just using a cell phone or WiFi / internet connection for the most part. You are totally reliant on somebody else having up and running infrastructure to communicate.

If you know what you are doing, when and how, you can communicate all across the country, with other like minded folks, from something you can carry in a backpack and not need anyone else.

Antennas and ground are where most folks come up short.
You don't need a really huge fancy antenna, just a simple one but built / tuned properly so you are not wasting energy.

As an amateur license holder, I’m limited to 200w of peak output. With an antenna mounted onto my roof, that gets me most of the densely populated areas in my state but not even leave the boarder. I’d have to repeater bounce to leave the state. That still relies on more than just what you could carry in a pack or mounted to a vehicle.

There are digital repeaters, and I can listen to people from across the country on my handheld with no internet connection. It’s just my handheld cannot reach the repeater to talk back. That doesn’t require internet, but that repeater is managed by someone who has it mounted to the top of a tall business building.

 

[Campguy308]

I have been looking at that as well as the FTM-300 for digital/analog radios.

That said, I've also been looking at the FT-2980R and FTM-3100R for analog radios.

The two biggest downsides to the FT-2980R and FTM-3100R radios, as I can tell are:
1 - they are not C4FM
2 - they are only 2-meter and not dual band

The questions I keep asking myself:
1 - Do I really need digital/C4FM?
2 - Do I need 70-cm?

I use a Yaesu FT2800 which is the predecessor to the 2980. Its my 2 meter base radio, hooked to a Comet GP1 antenna. Has served me well for years.

In my area, there's not much activity on 70cm, and I have no i interest in digital modes.

 

[W54/XM-388]

As an amateur license holder, I’m limited to 200w of peak output. With an antenna mounted onto my roof, that gets me most of the densely populated areas in my state but not even leave the boarder. I’d have to repeater bounce to leave the state. That still relies on more than just what you could carry in a pack or mounted to a vehicle.

There are digital repeaters, and I can listen to people from across the country on my handheld with no internet connection. It’s just my handheld cannot reach the repeater to talk back. That doesn’t require internet, but that repeater is managed by someone who has it mounted to the top of a tall business building.

Get your General and then you can talk to the entire country
Then get your Extra and you can talk to the world.

For your handheld, a good antenna might make all the difference, hooking it up to a grounded vehicle mount antenna or a big nice house antenna would extend your range a lot over just the ones that go onto the handhelds themselves.

It's not hard to do and the equipment to talk to the country isn't that bad. Most base stations can, for both the home and a car / truck. From your truck you could easily go around the world if you pull out your antennas and know times / bands and have everything well tuned.

You can even get some stuff to go in a backpack that's pretty light and will get you around the country if you know your times / bands / have a really well tuned antenna.

If you are doing CW and really have your setup together and know all the details, you'll probably be able to get to other countries with less than 20W without being too crazy in your setup.

 

[aslrookie]

Get your General and then you can talk to the entire country
Then get your Extra and you can talk to the world.

For your handheld, a good antenna might make all the difference, hooking it up to a grounded vehicle mount antenna or a big nice house antenna would extend your range a lot over just the ones that go onto the handhelds themselves.

It's not hard to do and the equipment to talk to the country isn't that bad. Most base stations can, for both the home and a car / truck. From your truck you could easily go around the world if you pull out your antennas and know times / bands and have everything well tuned.

You can even get some stuff to go in a backpack that's pretty light and will get you around the country if you know your times / bands / have a really well tuned antenna.

If you are doing CW and really have your setup together and know all the details, you'll probably be able to get to other countries with less than 20W without being too crazy in your setup.

Yeah, I struggled to study enough for the first license. I just wanted to have a license, so I can legally practice communicating because like anything else, practice makes proficiency. I just don't think I could nerd out enough to study for general or extra lol.

 

[W54/XM-388]

Yeah, I struggled to study enough for the first license. I just wanted to have a license, so I can legally practice communicating because like anything else, practice makes proficiency. I just don't think I could nerd out enough to study for general or extra lol.

Get the book with the practice test software by Gordon West and ALSO get the audio CD of it.
Read the book a couple times, listen to the CD set a couple times all the way through while you drive.
Take the practice tests and make a few notes.

With about a month of work, you shouldn't have a problem passing your General.

 

[Chief_Rick]

I've ordered this 2-meter break-a-way J-pole antenna, 15 ft of RG-8x coax and a SMA-to-PL259 adapter to connect the UV-5R to the coax. I've got a lightweight camera (cheap) tripod that I want to try and adapt to hold the antenna for remote/mobile use.

Once I get it in I plan on hooking it up and trying to connect to the repeater.

I've been told there's little/no 70-cm use in my area, as well.

As a new HAM, I don't know if I'll be interested in digital modes.

I'm not interested in contesting (as least not right now).

What I am interested in is being able to communicate with other operators along the FL/AL/MS/LA Gulf Coast without having to rely on internet or cell phones.

We didn't lose power during Hurricane Ida but we did lose cell service sometime after we went to bed last night and didn't get it back until about 1.5 hours ago. We do not have internet here except through cell service or satellite (and we got rid of the satellite because it's worthless during bad weather). Needless to say, with heavy rain bands still coming through this morning we had no method of communicating or receiving updates except through FM radio. (I'll be adding a digital over-the-air-antenna to the house in the near future, too - but that's another thread.)

 

[Chief_Rick]

I received my new antenna for the UV-5R today and I was able to hear traffic on the Jackson County repeater. They could hear me key but no audio. That repeater is supposedly about 10 miles from my residence.

I was also able to hear traffic from the Biloxi repeater but didn't try to make contact.

I was able to make contact with my local repeater and an operator in Gulfport said could hear me clearly. I could hear him key, but not his audio. This repeater is supposed to be about 12 miles from my residence. Tomorrow night this repeater is supposed to be active for the weekly net meeting, so I'll try again.

All of this with a Baofeng UV-5R with Nagoya NA-771 standing outside.

 

[6.5SH]

Does your antenna say "Nagoya" on the tip and have a QR code near the base end?

 

[Chief_Rick]

Does your antenna say "Nagoya" on the tip and have a QR code near the base end?

Yes and yes.

 

[TxWelder35]

For anyone that has a home base station, do you use it regularly? What is it used for daily? What is said over it? Is it just a bunch retirees shooting the shit or what?

 

[missed]

10 miles should be able to get the repeater in that country with a hand held. Do you have your offset and tone set correctly to get into the repeater? I have a repeater to the SW of me that is 12 miles away with 1 watt and a HT. Yeasu VX6 with a 4db antenna (about 14").

My eastern repeater that I have some of a hill that's almost 20 miles I can get that with a mobile antenna that's about 1 meter and 5 watts on the truck.

With how close those repeaters are seems like there is something else hanging you up pinging the repeater.

Or do you have your radio on FM or AM, or squelch up to high where you can't hear incoming?

 

[Chief_Rick]

For anyone that has a home base station, do you use it regularly? What is it used for daily? What is said over it? Is it just a bunch retirees shooting the shit or what?

It's a hobby, just like shooting. Sometimes it's people just talking but sometimes it's people passing messages/info.

Some people talk daily. Some only get on once in awhile.

While it's kinda like CB in that you talk through a radio, it's much more structured. You won't typically find the vulgarity and BS that you hear on CBs.

 

[Chief_Rick]

10 miles should be able to get the repeater in that country with a hand held. Do you have your offset and tone set correctly to get into the repeater? I have a repeater to the SW of me that is 12 miles away with 1 watt and a HT. Yeasu VX6 with a 4db antenna (about 14").

My eastern repeater that I have some of a hill that's almost 20 miles I can get that with a mobile antenna that's about 1 meter and 5 watts on the truck.

With how close those repeaters are seems like there is something else hanging you up pinging the repeater.

Or do you have your radio on FM or AM, or squelch up to high where you can't hear incoming?

I don't know why it would work with one repeater and not the other.

The radio was programmed by one of the club members. All I'm doing it's changing the frequency.

Will test again tonight.

 

[missed]

What repeaters are they? The tone and offset could be different from the two.

I have not had any Baofeng's or used them before. Our club has a handful of them for loaners.

 

[missed]

For anyone that has a home base station, do you use it regularly? What is it used for daily? What is said over it? Is it just a bunch retirees shooting the shit or what?

I have mine mostly for Skywarn. We also use it to stay brushed up on coms in case of loss of cell network. It's also been fun to talk to the ISS, my younger boy also enjoys making contacts all over. We use some of our mobile and handheld gear when we're camping as many places have no cell service. I'll go out and ride my bike or we will venture from camp and still have comms back to the trailer. (APRS is handy in this setting)


In many cases there is the old guy bull shit sessions going on. My base station gets used somewhat regularly, but times it hasn't been touched for extended periods of time. This year not so much, the weather was oddly quiet for severe this year (except for snowmageddon) which really didn't adversely affect us.

 

[Chief_Rick]

What repeaters are they? The tone and offset could be different from the two.

I'm not 100% positive. I'm new to ham.

I believe that all the repeaters are Yaesu. The one operator that's been helping me keeps recommending Yaesu digital radios because the closest repeaters have internet and are C4FM.

 

[missed]

The Yaesu radios are nice (most of what I have ) The Baeofeng does get the job done though. Its like the Savage of the rifle world.....

This is the only 2M repeater I found in Gulfport, 15 mile radius must be short tower and lower power

Both these repeaters use the same tone, and are both negative offset. Which when you transmit you are transmitting to the repeater on 146.235 and receive on 146.835. You should see this change when you key up your radio if it is in the saved settings. The tone on both repeaters is the same. Also both repeaters are showing FM yes so you need your radio on FM.

This data is on repeaterbook.com there are also some other repeater websites and android apps to find them.

Downlink:	146.83500
Uplink:	146.23500
Offset:	-0.6 MHz
Uplink Tone:	136.5
Downlink Tone:	136.5
YSF Digital Enabled
DG-ID:	Open ↑ / Open ↓
County:	Harrison
Grid:	EM50KI
Call:	N9OKV
Use:	OPEN
Op Status:	On-Air
Coverage:	Hwy 49, Hwy 90, I-10, Pass Christian, Long Beach, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs 15 mi radius.
Sponsor:	Coast Amateur Radio Emergency Services
Affiliate:	Mississippi Coast Amateur Radio Club
Features:	Backup power: Generator
FM:	Yes; analog capable.
Analog Bandwidth:	25.0 kHz
Notes:	Wires-X operation pending
Nets:	Emergency Net 1st Thursday of month 17:30 CDT.

This is the Northern Biloxi repeater, much higher power larger range repeater. Looks like that repeater is part of the Gulf Coast club

Downlink:	146.73000
Uplink:	146.13000
Offset:	-0.6 MHz
Uplink Tone:	136.5
Downlink Tone:	136.5
YSF Digital Enabled
DG-ID:	Open ↑ / Open ↓
County:	Harrison
Grid:	EM50MK
Call:	W5SGL
Use:	OPEN
Op Status:	On-Air
Coverage:	40 mi radius.
Sponsor:	MCARA
Features:	Generator powered, Yaesu System Fusion.
FM:	Yes; analog capable.
Analog Bandwidth:	25.0 kHz
Notes:	When the repeater fails due to an emergency please use 146.730 Simplex to communicate as an alternative frequency.
Nets:	Weekly Net with Tech-Topic/Amateur Hour/Swap - Tuesday at 19:00 Digital Roundtable Net (in C4FM or FM) - Wednesday at 19:00 Harrison County ARES Net - 1st Thursday of the month at 17:00
Web links:	http://www.w5sgl.net/
Feed:	Listen Live
Coordination:	SERA

 

[Chief_Rick]

I was able to hit three repeaters today and carry on conversations; Biloxi, Vancleave and Lucedale. Was not able to talk through the Wiggins repeater.

Temporary set-up today: Baofeng UV-5R hooked up to a KB9VBR 2-meter J-pole antenna. Base of antenna is slipped over my wife's upside trellis planter rack, propped against porch rail. Base of antenna is probably 8 ft off the ground.

 

[Campguy308]

If you get that antenna in the air, you will see a world of difference. Antenna height is king on VHF.

 

[Makinchips208]

Sorry for replying to an old thread but I’ll go ahead to share the info with hams who are trying.
I live in very mountainous north central Idaho. We have talked over 70 miles away with baofeng Uv-5r and a mag mount antenna on top of vehicle. Of course from ridge tops not in a valley (antenna height). And quality mobile radios set up properly are several times better than handhelds. Aftermarket antennas help handhelds but they are still lousy for getting out very far. We set up a repeater that is central to all our handheld users. That is all 2meter analog, digital isn’t much of an option for our needs and environment. And baofeng is what we give our kids, which have their ham license also, because they are cheap, aka disposable.
Also, one member of our group talks around the world with basic HF rig and 100 watts.
KI7NNX

 

[Makinchips208]

Here is the mobile radio set up as a base station in my house. Hits the repeaters in our area so we can talk to home even after driving for an hour or more away from home. this radio is 2 meter only because that’s all we have for repeaters here. Your area might be different. And we also sometimes use the 70cm/2m cross band repeat for handhelds.

 

[Campguy308]

Here is the mobile radio set up as a base station in my house. Hits the repeaters in our area so we can talk to home even after driving for an hour or more away from home. this radio is 2 meter only because that’s all we have for repeaters here. Your area might be different. And we also sometimes use the 70cm/2m cross band repeat for handhelds.

I use a similar setup for my vhf base station. Yaesu FT2800. I am currently experimenting with a 3 element yagi that i built for 2 meters out of old TV antenna parts. Big difference from an omnidirectional vertical.

 

[Makinchips208]

Yeah a directional antenna makes a huge difference.

 

[alpine44]

You can build a very portable yagi from PVC tubing and a tape measure.

VHF 3EL Tape Measure Yagi.

After seeing a lot of articles written about making a three element Yagi using PVC and a tape measure, I was interested but not excited about it. That was until I made a QSO with K1MAZ (Nick) while…

nt1k.com

 

[kopcicle]

AF7XT Dennis
Ask away . I have been doing this for a while

 

[Makinchips208]

Moa or mil?

 

[kopcicle]

 

[minn_wild1]

I've been happy learning on this. Nice to have the digital side. I have a local fusion repeater and am able to talk to folks all over the world on 2 meters.

YAESU FT-70DR

C4FM/ FM 144/ 430MHz Dual Band 5W Handheld Transceiver

www.hamradio.com